Nat’l Elections Com. sure of holding Senatorial Mid-Term Election

MONROVIA,
LIBERIA-The National Elections Commission (NEC) has expressed optimism that the
pending 2020 Senatorial Mid-Term Election will be held.

NEC Acting Chairperson,
Davidetta Brown-Lassana, told Senators on Capitol Hill Thursday, May 21, 2020,
that holding of the election also depends on projections from the Ministry of
Health as was done in 2014 during the Ebola Crisis.

Madam Brown-Lassana said:”
NEC is working along with Health Authorities and the Central Government to
inform any decision on the 2020 election, also based on the State of Emergency
and lockdown.”

The Elections Commission
Acting Chairperson told Senators that the Commission has received
three-hundred-thousand United States Dollars out of seventeen-point-six-million
needed to conduct both the election and referendum in 2020.

She disclosed that the preparatory process is ongoing for the conduct of the 2020 election, but called on the Liberian Senate to extend the election time from October 13 to December 15, 2020, as requested by President George Weah recently.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of
the Judiciary Committee, Cllr. Varney Sherman, is urging NEC to request a
credit facility from its vendors to ensure the conduct of the 2020
Mid-Term-Election.

Cllr. Sherman said:” Giving
the negative effects of COVID-19 on the global economy, it is only befitting
that NEC ask for credit from its vendors in the name of the Government.”

The Grand Cape Mount
County Senator said Government will welcome such negotiation if NEC initiates
it in the general interest of the Country and people.

He maintained that
currently Government does not have money needed for the electoral process in
full as it is struggling from the loss of COVID-19.

Edward Tamba is a Reporter at the Liberia Broadcasting System, operator of ELBC and the Liberia National Television, LNTV. Since joining the System in 2015, I have served as Reporter and one of the Lead Presenters of the Radio and TV News. I am also the Presenter of the Youth Talk TV Program, highlighting the plights of young people in Liberia. Contacts: +231 886453409/+231777584716 Whatsapp at 0777584716 or tambaedward8979@gmail.com